I didn't find anything wrong with it per se, I just didn't find anything particularly good about it either.Eipok Kruden said:
Why do people say that GTA IV is overrated?
- Thread starter Eipok Kruden
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Eipok Kruden said:
the only fun multiplayer gta game is having 6 people in one room trying to do stupid shit
playing with random people does not have the same effect
Personally, I think it's overrated because it got 10/10, but became very boring about a month after first playing it.
I found it a chore to finish the story line, and once I did that I had very little desire to play it any more.
For me, once the initial 'wow factor' of the good graphics and detailed city had worn off, I found the game lacking the 'fun factor' which makes me want to keep playing a game.
I didn't really think the story was good as some people had claimed it to be. It took itself too seriously for a fun game, and in attempting to have it's cake and eat it, failed at being a deep, poignant story and at being a fun game.
For instance, one moment Niko is lamenting about the horrors of war he's seen in his past, and how he's trying to change and lead a better life, the next moment he's agreeing to murder total strangers because another total stranger on the street wants him to buy some crack.
One of the themes of the game seemed to be how Niko and Roman were trying to make it big in America, make a better life for themselves. Before I even finished the game I had over 5 million dollars, so what were they yammering on about? They already were rich beyond their wildest dreams, except Niko was stingy and only wanted to spend his millions on clothes, hot-dogs and weapons.
The story would have been believable and had worked if the video game elements were removed from the game, likewise the game side of it would have worked better if the story wasn't dragging it down. Rockstar said that the left a lot of the fun features from previous games out of GTA IV because it would be unrealistic and out of character, Niko wouldn't do those things.
It also seemed unfinished, like one of the tutorials teaches you how to perform a 1 punch KO, and that's the only time in the game you can perform that move, what was the point? The same with the camera phone, apart from the few missions where you needed to take photos, what was the point? You could take photos any time you wanted, but you couldn't save them, unlike San Andreas.
I think ultimately though, my expectations for GTA IV had been spoiled by other games
Scarface: The World Is Yours spoilt my expectations about what a good, cinematic sandbox game should be like, and Bully and Saint's Row spoilt my expectations of what a good, fun sandbox game should be like.
I think if I hadn't played any other sandbox game since GTA III, and hadn't read any hype and press releases from Rockstar, prior to GTA IV, I would have been more impressed.
It's not all bad though, I did like the driving physics and found the cop missions really fun. Plus the darts game was pretty good, and I loved going drinking, it's just a shame you couldn't get drunk outside the man-dates.
Anyway, that's just my opinion of the game, I'm sure lots of people love that game and think it is worth 10/10, and they wouldn't be wrong in their opinions, after all I can't dictate to them what they find fun.
I found it a chore to finish the story line, and once I did that I had very little desire to play it any more.
For me, once the initial 'wow factor' of the good graphics and detailed city had worn off, I found the game lacking the 'fun factor' which makes me want to keep playing a game.
I didn't really think the story was good as some people had claimed it to be. It took itself too seriously for a fun game, and in attempting to have it's cake and eat it, failed at being a deep, poignant story and at being a fun game.
For instance, one moment Niko is lamenting about the horrors of war he's seen in his past, and how he's trying to change and lead a better life, the next moment he's agreeing to murder total strangers because another total stranger on the street wants him to buy some crack.
One of the themes of the game seemed to be how Niko and Roman were trying to make it big in America, make a better life for themselves. Before I even finished the game I had over 5 million dollars, so what were they yammering on about? They already were rich beyond their wildest dreams, except Niko was stingy and only wanted to spend his millions on clothes, hot-dogs and weapons.
The story would have been believable and had worked if the video game elements were removed from the game, likewise the game side of it would have worked better if the story wasn't dragging it down. Rockstar said that the left a lot of the fun features from previous games out of GTA IV because it would be unrealistic and out of character, Niko wouldn't do those things.
It also seemed unfinished, like one of the tutorials teaches you how to perform a 1 punch KO, and that's the only time in the game you can perform that move, what was the point? The same with the camera phone, apart from the few missions where you needed to take photos, what was the point? You could take photos any time you wanted, but you couldn't save them, unlike San Andreas.
I think ultimately though, my expectations for GTA IV had been spoiled by other games
Scarface: The World Is Yours spoilt my expectations about what a good, cinematic sandbox game should be like, and Bully and Saint's Row spoilt my expectations of what a good, fun sandbox game should be like.
I think if I hadn't played any other sandbox game since GTA III, and hadn't read any hype and press releases from Rockstar, prior to GTA IV, I would have been more impressed.
It's not all bad though, I did like the driving physics and found the cop missions really fun. Plus the darts game was pretty good, and I loved going drinking, it's just a shame you couldn't get drunk outside the man-dates.
Anyway, that's just my opinion of the game, I'm sure lots of people love that game and think it is worth 10/10, and they wouldn't be wrong in their opinions, after all I can't dictate to them what they find fun.
The fat cousin and all of the friends calling every couple minutes made me not want to answer the phone, but I felt obliged to because I didn't want my percentage to go down with them. Just like in real life.
At least one other post talked about the "zany standard." The street babble was awesome in GTAIV, but the characters were just plain meh. It was almost a downer to play sometimes. GTASA wasn't perfect, but the characters were hilarious.
I don't completely dislike, but I spent nowhere near as much time as I spent on 3, VC, and SA.
At least one other post talked about the "zany standard." The street babble was awesome in GTAIV, but the characters were just plain meh. It was almost a downer to play sometimes. GTASA wasn't perfect, but the characters were hilarious.
I don't completely dislike, but I spent nowhere near as much time as I spent on 3, VC, and SA.
Well, I don't know about the others, but I had a problem because the GTA series was all about colorful, wacky humor and over-the-top action, but for GTA IV they tossed all the over-the-top action out (along with a gigantic chunk of the humor) and turned it into a Real Is Brown dirt-fest like every fucking "serious" game since Doom.
I think GTA IV is overrated because I never wanted the GTA series to start taking itself seriously. And I know plenty of other gamers who didn't, either.
I don't give a shit whether you can go rally racing in a Toyota sedan in the REAL world, if I wanted to experience the real world I'd put down the stupid game controller and go outside.
I think GTA IV is overrated because I never wanted the GTA series to start taking itself seriously. And I know plenty of other gamers who didn't, either.
Yeah, that... and the fact that you WERE able to do just that in most previous games.ButtonedDownParadox said:
I don't give a shit whether you can go rally racing in a Toyota sedan in the REAL world, if I wanted to experience the real world I'd put down the stupid game controller and go outside.
I've noticed there's quite a few people complaining about the driving physics and mechanics. Sure, this is no Gran Turismo, but the physics and mechanics are still very fun once you get used to them. You just need to learn how to use the handbrake, which isn't really hard. So what are people complaining about?
I say it's overrated because it's not the best game ever, like everyone else and his brother seems to think. If it hadn't gotten tens slapped on it by every damn reviewer I wouldn't have had a problem, I would've continued to play my nice RPGs and puzzle games like a good little boy.
GTA IV in my mind has too much grit for a series that was originally wild and crazy fun. I mean, the kill frenzies were why people played GTA! Running around with the goal of murdering 30 people in 2 minutes using a flamethrower was good, senseless fun.
GTA IV also suffers from too much content, if you can believe that. It crammed in too much stuff and as a result it broke gameflow, going from a crimegame to some weird fushion between a Scorcese movie, the Sims and the titicular series it claims to be a part of. In an attempt at realism the series has created useless features like bowling games, TV stations and stuff like that which are utterly irrelevant.
GTA IV also suffers from too much content, if you can believe that. It crammed in too much stuff and as a result it broke gameflow, going from a crimegame to some weird fushion between a Scorcese movie, the Sims and the titicular series it claims to be a part of. In an attempt at realism the series has created useless features like bowling games, TV stations and stuff like that which are utterly irrelevant.
There was plenty of inconsistancy between the gameplay and the story. At one point, Niko pours his heart out to his brother, whilst simultaniously I was plowing down waves of civilians in a truck. The serious plot line was brave but doesn't sit well with the childish gameplay.
Hmm, personally I thought GTA 4 had my favourite story out of all the GTA games (that I have played, not having touched San Andreas). I liked Vice City as well, but to be honest, I preferred the "grit" to the more jovial tones of the previous games. I don't know what route they'll go down for the next GTA game (they haven't definitely confirmed that the tone will be similar to GTA 4) but at least for now, the DLC will keep me satisfied.
But yes, the incessant calls from your "friends" and cousin at various points in the game (usually whne you have the entire LCPD on your tail) looking for a game of pool or darts got beyond annoying. One idea that definitely needs the concrete slippers treatment.
But on the other hand, I get to listen to Vladivostok FM, so that's okay...
But yes, the incessant calls from your "friends" and cousin at various points in the game (usually whne you have the entire LCPD on your tail) looking for a game of pool or darts got beyond annoying. One idea that definitely needs the concrete slippers treatment.
But on the other hand, I get to listen to Vladivostok FM, so that's okay...
That's pretty much all there is to it. Watch ZP's review of Saint's Row 2 to get a bigger picture of this point.Hardcore_gamer said:I own both GTA 4 and Saint's Row 2. And i find Saint's row 2 a billion times more fun. There is allot more to do and i can create my own guy to play as. Plus being able to throw old people into jet turbines is just plain priceless. That's why GTA 4 was a fail, all of the crazy wacky stuff had been left out.
Personally, I was really bothered by GTAIV because of that character inconsistencies of Niko. It was almost like he knew he was a guy in a game and acted like it. In Saint's Row you're certainly a terrible person with (sorta) good intentions, but that's all the game wants you to be. That's why I've always loved the cut scenes in both the Saint's Row games - they are over the top and your character is totally evil, but mainly to people who are easily just as evil as he is. You all beat the crap out of innocents, but there are also roving gangs of violent pimps and cops who beat you as soon as they catch you, so the whole city of Stilwater is pretty much insane, and it's consistent. Liberty City in GTAIII felt a lot more like that, but the Liberty City in IV doesn't know if it wants to be real or goofy.
I also had a serious problem with the mission difficulty in GTAIV. I've beaten Saint's Row 2 about 5 times now, and I'm still stuck on the 4 Leaf Clover mission in GTAIV. I know it's not impossible to beat, but do I really want to spend more time hacking through it? I've watched all of the comedy club bits and cabaret shows, listened to the radio, terrorized the population in hilarious ways. What am I really going on for except the story, which isn't that good (see above?)
I'll play III again before I get back into IV. It just doesn't hold up.
I just found it rather boring and depressing. I played the first few missions but all I really wanted to do was have some god damn fun. The moment I fired a gun I immediately had a metric ton of police on my arse, your cousin calling you up every ten minutes really annoyed me and it was overall just too realistic. I like a bit of realism in my games but GTA IV went way too far with it.
What was the first thing I did in GTA4? Learn how to drive a car very slowly so as not to crash it then take numerous calls from my cousin being led down one tutorial after another.
What was the first thing I did in Saint's Row 2? Snap the neck of some prison Doctor and then stab, bludgen and shoot my way out of a prison, jumping on to a boat and being handed a machine gun with which to blow up boats and helicopters.
Now consider that all of the above happened within the first hour or so in their respective games and the difference is exactly why I find GTA4 over-rated. I was expending improvements to the gameplay of previous GTAs coupled with better graphics and enhanced features like network multiplayer and while we got the latter we lacked the former. Somewhere along the line the fun was sucked clean out of GTA.
Incidentally the first mission you get after your prison break in SR2 is a shopping trip followed by a courthouse shoot-up and getaway car chase. Now that was fun.
What was the first thing I did in Saint's Row 2? Snap the neck of some prison Doctor and then stab, bludgen and shoot my way out of a prison, jumping on to a boat and being handed a machine gun with which to blow up boats and helicopters.
Now consider that all of the above happened within the first hour or so in their respective games and the difference is exactly why I find GTA4 over-rated. I was expending improvements to the gameplay of previous GTAs coupled with better graphics and enhanced features like network multiplayer and while we got the latter we lacked the former. Somewhere along the line the fun was sucked clean out of GTA.
Incidentally the first mission you get after your prison break in SR2 is a shopping trip followed by a courthouse shoot-up and getaway car chase. Now that was fun.
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On topic:
I convinced myself I wasn't going to buy GTA IV. I had played 3 when it came out and it was a revolution, a watershed moment for gaming. But then Vice City was the same thing in a different city. Then San Andreas was the same thing in a different City. Vice City Stories was the same thing in the same city. Liberty City Stories was the same thing in the same city.
Point is, i haven't enjoyed a GTA game since Vice City. The mechanics were never good in the first place, and you can only mow down people with drive bys so many times before it gets old. So what's left?
Anyway, I convinced myself I wasn't going to get GTA IV. But then everyone and their mother was talking about how amazing it was. "PERFECT!" "10/10!". I bought into the hype and bought the game.
I gave it to second safe house before I said "OLD" and tossed it aside. It's still GTA III, same game in the same city with prettier graphics. I want someone to revolutionize the genre and give me a compelling reason to play one of these games. And I don't mean "you can get a hooker and then kill her and get your money back! LULZ!"
On topic:
I convinced myself I wasn't going to buy GTA IV. I had played 3 when it came out and it was a revolution, a watershed moment for gaming. But then Vice City was the same thing in a different city. Then San Andreas was the same thing in a different City. Vice City Stories was the same thing in the same city. Liberty City Stories was the same thing in the same city.
Point is, i haven't enjoyed a GTA game since Vice City. The mechanics were never good in the first place, and you can only mow down people with drive bys so many times before it gets old. So what's left?
Anyway, I convinced myself I wasn't going to get GTA IV. But then everyone and their mother was talking about how amazing it was. "PERFECT!" "10/10!". I bought into the hype and bought the game.
I gave it to second safe house before I said "OLD" and tossed it aside. It's still GTA III, same game in the same city with prettier graphics. I want someone to revolutionize the genre and give me a compelling reason to play one of these games. And I don't mean "you can get a hooker and then kill her and get your money back! LULZ!"